Anchorage Hazards Defined

Avalanche - A large mass of snow, ice or other material in swift motion down a mountainside.

Biological Weapons - Microorganisms or toxins from living organisms that have infectious or non-infectious properties designed to effect lethal or serious damage to plants and animals.

Chemical Weapons - Solids, liquieds, or gases designed to effect lethal or serious damage to plants and animals.

Dam Failure - An incident wherein a barrier constructed for impounding water fails from excessive rainfall, volcanic eruption, poor construction, poor maintenance, or earthquake activity.

Earthquake - A trembling of the ground or sudden movement of the earth resulting from the abrupt shifting of rock or plates beneath the earth's crust.

Flood - When a body of water overflows its bed onto normally dry land.

Hazardous Materials - A chemical spill or release at any facility that produces, uses, or stores chemicals, or from a vehicle, train, ship, plane, or pipeline.

Nuclear Weapons - Weapons designed to release nuclear energy in an explosive manner as the result of nuclear chain reactions involving fission or fusion of atomic nuclei.

Radiological - The uncontrolled release of radiation at any facility that produces, uses, or stores radioactive materials or from a vehicle, train, ship, plane or pipeline.

Terrorism - Activity intended to intimidate or coerce civilians, influence a government, or affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.

Transportation Accident - A collision or accident involving motor vehicles, watercraft, trains, aircraft, or pipelines.

Wildfire - Uncontrolled burning of grasslands, brush, or woodlands.

Winter Storm - Moderate to severe events including ice storms, heavy snowfall, or blizzard.